WAR

09.21.11

Sexual Violence Soars in Colombia

GUILLERMO LEGARIA / Getty Images

In the decades-long war between government fighters and drug-trade-fueled guerrillas in Colombia, one group of victims has been overlooked in the crossfire: women and girls who, according to a new Amnesty International report, are victims of “widespread and systemic” sexual violence. An AI spokeswoman said women are treated as “trophies of war” and are raped and sexually abused to punish and silence them. President Juan Manuel Santos has promised to address the issue, but human-rights groups say they have not seen any effort to stop the crimes.